It may seem odd that I, an attorney, is authoring a post on firing your attorney, however, I have determined that most clients don’t fully understand their rights as a client. I consider my relationships with my client a two-way street. If my clients do not feel that we are on the same page, don’t like my style, or simply have found someone else they feel more comfortable with, I encourage them to ask me to withdraw from their case. A divorce is already traumatic enough, you don’t need to fret about your choice of attorney. However, you must keep in mind the following if you decide to switch attorney’s:
- You will not get your money back from your previous attorney. You will have to pay him/her for the time spent on your case and obtaining the withdrawal.
- You will have to give you new attorney a retainer
- Your legal fees may be higher when you switch counsel, as your new attorney will need to get up to speed on your case and file his/her entry of appearance
- The resolution of your case will most likely be delayed if you switch counsel